Strabismus-goggle.



.BATBNTBD 00T. zo, 1903.

No. 742,081. v

' J. E. STIBRLB.

STRABISMUS QGGGLES.

APPLIoAnoN rILnn un. 22. 190s.

1m nonni..

THE Norms miqsca; PmmLITMO. wAsnmGromp. c,

Patented October 20, 1903.

PATENT ONICE.

JOHN EVANGELIST STIERLE, OF MARSHFIELD, WISCONSIN.

STRABISMUS-GOGGLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,081, ldated October20, 1903.

Application filed January 22, 1903. Serial No. 140.13 8. (No model.)

1'0 a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known `that I, JOHN EvANGELIsT STIERLE, a citizen of the .UnitedStates, residing at Marshfield, in the Vcounty of Wood and State ofWisconsin, have invented a new and useful Strabismus-Goggle, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in devices for treatingstrabismns, and has for its principal object to provide a device in thenature of a pair of lspectacles or eyeglasses by which the ey'eor eyesmay beI gradually straightened by a physical effort of the muscles ofthe eye.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which may be readily adjusted for treating one or other orboth eyes, and a still further object is to provide means whereby lensesmay be detachably secured to the frame either for the pnr pose ofassisting vision or in the nature of smoked or colored glasses toprotect the eyes when weakened from any cause.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustratedin the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in theappended claims, it being understood that various changes inthe form,proportions, and minor details of the structure may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective view of a pair ofspectacles embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view lookingfrom the inside of the frames. Fig. 3 is a det-ail perspective view ofone form of perforated plate which may be placed .over a normal eye whenonly one eye is being treated. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the formof plate and slide which it is preferred to employ for the affected eye.Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view through one of the frame members. Fig.6 is a detail perspective view of the clamping means for holding theseveral plates and lenses in position.

Similar numerals of reference' are employed to indicate correspondingparts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The frames l are formed ofv perforated metal or other material or ofwire-cloth and are of suitable shape and size to wholly inclose theeyes. The frame members are counected together in any suitable manner inorder that they may be properly supported in position, as by bands 2,and their inner surfaces are blackened or tinted in such a manner as toavoid any reflection of lightrays. At the outer face of each` frame isaV small inturned flange, against the inner face of which may be held asuitable plate having a visual openi-ng, and against the outer face ofsaid flange there may be placed a lens 3 of any desiredcharacter,preferably of smoked or colored glass, as a protection to theeyes when under treatment. Secured to the edge of each of the frames isa half-loop or yokeshaped member 5, which may be formed of a smallsection of wire, and secured to this member are three clamps 6, 7, and8, each having two arms extending one inside the frame for the supportof the plate and the other on the outside of the frame and terminatingin a ngerfor the support of the lens. The three clamping members arearranged one at the outer end of the frame and the other two aredisposed at diametrically opposite points atthe vertical center of theframe. v When the lens is to be used, it may be slipped in under theseveral lingers of the into alinement with a sight-tube of limited' areabefore the patient can discern an object. To this end I employ a platehaving an opening and a slide covering said opening, the slide beingprovided with a small opening or tube which may bemovedeither to theright or left in accordance with the position of the pupil of theaffected eye. When both eyes are to be treated, plates 9, havinghorizontal elongated openings 10, are placed in positionl between theiiange of the ends of the inner -IOO clamping-arms, and each of theseplates is provided with a pair of horizontally-disposed guides 1l forthe reception of a slide 12, which may be adjusted longitudinally of theplate and is provided with a small opening or, preferably, aninwardly-projecting tube 13. The position of the slide dependsaltogether on the position of the pupil of the affected eye or eyes, andin practice it is preferred to place the slide so that its opening ortube shall be at a very slight angle to the abnormal angular position ofthe crystalline lens and retina of the eye, so that but acomparativelyslight edort on the part of the patient will be required tobring the affected eye into alinement with the opening or tube. As themuscles become more accustomed to the strain the slide is furtheradjusted and gradually moved at intervals until the eyes have as sumednormal positions. W'here but one eye is aiected and the other eyenormal, the same plates and slide maybe used in both frames, the one tobe placed over the normal eye being disposed in a central position inorder to avoid straining of the muscles of the unaffected eye.

In some cases the plate 15 (shown in Fig. 3) maybe employed, said platehaving an opening l0' of a length somewhat less than the opening 10 andbeing provided with a slide 12', having a sight-tube 13 in order to pro-Vide for such slight adjustment as may be necessary for differentpersons or as circumstances may require.

The frames may be made in quantities and supplied to Opticians togetherwith an assortment of plates, slides, and lenses and these fitted to thepatients, the construction being such as to permit of the applicatioirofany Mausi desired form oi plate, slide, or lens to the frame.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. Instrabis'mus-goggles, a frame having an outer flange forming a supportfor inner interchangeable plates and for outer lenses, and clampingmeans coacting With said fiange to retain the plates and lenses inposition.

2. In strabisin 11s-goggles, a frame, clamping means thereon, plateshaving visual openings and carried by the frame, and a detachable lensheld in position in front of the plate by said clamping means.

3. In strabismus-goggles, a frame having an outer iiange, clamps havingarms extending on both sides of the frame, plates provided With visuaopenings held in position against the inner face of the flange by theclamping-arms, and a lens held against the outer face of the flange bythe outer clamping-arms.

4. In strabismiis-goggles, a frame having an outer fiange, a metallicframe secured to the inner edge of each of the goggle-hoods,clamping-arms carried by said frame and eX- tending to points bothinside and outside the hoods, interchangeable plates held in positionwithin the hoods by the inner clamping arms, and lenses held to theouter ends of the hoods by the outer clamping-arms.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN EVANGELIST STIERIIE.

IVitnesses:

R. E. ANDREWS, Josnrn: Sfrinnnn.

